Most people would agree that luggage is the most important accessory needed for travel, especially long distance travel. Luggage generally refers to any bags, cases, and containers that hold a traveler's articles during transit. The articles can include, for example, clothing, toiletries, small possessions, trip necessities, and on the return-trip, souvenirs, gifts or the like. Luggage can be large or small, wheeled or non-wheeled, and soft or hard. Travelers can choose from a variety of different types and sizes of luggage based on their travel needs. Suitcases and duffel bags are the most common forms of luggage for modern day travelers. For air travel purpose, luggage or baggage can be generally categorized into two types: checked baggage or carry-on. Checked baggage is generally larger than carry-on baggage and is loaded into the airplane's baggage compartment, to which travelers do not have access during the flight; whereas carry-on baggage can be carried into the airplane's passenger compartment by the travelers and can be placed either in the overhead cabin or underneath the seat.
Today's travelers, especially business travelers, face many challenges, mostly involving time and space. There is often a need to hurry from one location to another with a limited amount of room to store clothing items, and sometimes a limited amount of time to change into them. Air travelers, in particular, are being stressed with increased amount of time in security checkpoints, time spent in checking in luggage, additional baggage fees for checked baggage, and time needed to claim baggage at destination. Therefore, many travelers choose to use carry-on bags only so as to save time and money. However, carry-on bags normally have limited space and functionality.
Business passengers, and other types of travelers including entertainers and performers, often have to carry specialized or formal clothing to their location and then quickly change into them when they get there. Presently, clothes can be packed into a regulation suitcase that tray contain a separate area, using compression straps, for suits and other types of clothing. These larger suitcases generally need to be checked when traveling by air. Another option is to use a smaller carry-on bag. When using either of these methods, most likely the clothing will come out wrinkled due to the insufficient amount of space inside the bag. One way to obtain more wrinkle-free space is to use a specialized garment bag. These types of bags are typically longer and wider, and also allow hangers to be used that allow clothing to be potentially more wrinkle-free when they are being removed. However, specialized garment bags take up extra space; in addition, they and add another item for the traveler to have to keep track of and have to check in, leading to increased bag fees. Their lack of wheels means they can cause more exertion when carrying, and if they have to be placed down on the ground, they may come into contact with a wet or dirty floor. They also sometimes may not perform as well as desired since the garments can still come out wrinkled, as they may have been folded either due to carrying them over an arm or shoulder, or storing them in an overhead bin, or in a cargo hold.
Frequently, business travels may involve both air travel and travel in a rental car. Travelers may take the garments they need to wear for the business purpose out of the luggage after arriving at the destination and getting the rental car, and hang them up in the car to de-wrinkle the garments. However, it is difficult to hang the garments straight as no clothing rack is normally available in a car.
In addition, most suitcases and travel bags take a large space for storage when not being used as they are generally not foldable. There are foldable bags currently available; however, they are generally made of soft material and do not provide the structure and strength of non-foldable suitcases and bags.
Therefore, there is an established need for an improved luggage item or bag that solves at least one of the aforementioned problems.